My inspiration was really a story in itself and how one event led to another and then another before ending with a five hundred and fifty page novel.
In short, I was a member of a discussion board that had several politically motivated threads. Chernobyl was mentioned in one o
f the threads but more in reference to the main theme. I had no idea what or where Chernobyl was or what had happened. Truth be told, I had lived a rather sheltered life and was for the most part, too self-involved to care about world events. Many people, like me, live these bubbled lives until something happens that effectively changes their survival instincts. Nine-eleven comes to mind and it was, in fact, the event that opened my eyes.
This particular discussion board had several categories, one of them being the Arts, which included Poetry, Music and Lyrics et al. After researching a couple of days, I wrote a lyric about Chernobyl that was well received but no musician would touch because it was fifteen verses long. One forum member commented that lyrics should not be as lengthy as a book, and of course, this got me thinking about a new novel. During that same time period, I had been working on a couple of teen oriented books and had no desire to convert a lyric into a full novel.
And then, Fukushima happened.
I was glued to my television watching this event unfold over four days. It was both frightening and maddening. How could any responsible corporation and/or government be so incompetent? A week later, coverage began to dwindle and within two weeks, newscasts dropped the subject altogether. I started following YouTube broadcasts to get updates. How could this not be front page news? I had already begun my Chernobyl research but now I was all in and within a couple of months, the novel began to take shape. If the mainstream media wasn’t going to warn its viewers, then maybe I could play a part.
About the Author
Robert J Dornan is someone who wishes to leave a better world to his children. He realizes that the odds are slim but he will do whatever he can to increase the probability of success. He is always open to discuss new and innovative ideas and hopes someday to see the building of a functional solar city as well as a fair and community-driven compensation system.
Robert’s latest book is the historical fiction, 23 Minutes Past 1 A.M.
For More Information
The Story Behind the Book 